Monthly Archives: May 2019

Martha and Mary

gardentree 2By Judy Villanueva

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the by myself? Tell her to help me!”

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:38-42)

To sit at the feet of Jesus and let Him be my one distraction sounds both enticing and elusive. More often than not, I find myself in the kitchen with Martha, scowling at Mary and wishing so badly I could be the one sitting at Jesus’ feet.  I like to think that Martha loved Jesus from the kitchen amidst her many distractions and wish I couldn’t relate to how she let them postpone the joy of entering God’s presence.  But, I can.   As I slow down with this passage and take my pulse, I become aware that I am stuck in the kitchen!  I want to be next to Jesus, close enough to see the expression in his eyes and hear the tone of his voice. I know he is in the room with me but am not quite sure how to drop all my doing and find a place at His feet.  Do you ever feel that way?

This moment of awareness becomes a prayer and I ask Jesus to take my soapy hands and lead me out of the kitchen. “Help me, Lord, to turn away from the many things that fill my heart with worry and teach me to want only one thing — only One.”  I suddenly realize that one simple nod from Jesus is all it will take to help me drop my dishes and run to Him. Imagine this moment with me.

Can you see Jesus looking at you in the middle of your day and inviting you to come sit with Him?

Prayerfully, with my Bible on my lap, I imagine the scene and I look at Jesus.  He looks at me!  I see Him seeing me and hold my breath.  THEN, He gives me a smile and a nod and I run to Him!  I realize as I make my way over  that I didn’t think there would be room for me and I wasn’t sure I’d be welcome.  But, looking up at Jesus face I find a big welcome and looking down at His feet, I find a place prepared just for me!

“Jesus, thank you that always see me. I give you permission to nudge me out of my busyness! Thank you that I will always see a “welcome” in your eyes and find a place in your presence prepared just for me. Help me today to bring that same welcome to others. Amen.”

How about you?

Where do you find yourself in this Bible story? Are you in the kitchen, busy with preparations? Or, are you sitting at Jesus feet?

Does the pace of your life leave room for noticing Jesus beckoning you to come to Him?

Do you define yourself by the “many things” or by the “only One”?

What do you need from Jesus today? As you sit at His feet and have His full attention, how can He help you today?

Worship

Habits of the Heart

cliffsBy Judy Villanueva

“Every time you make a choice you are turning the central part of you, the part of you that chooses, into something a little different from what it was before. ” (C.S. Lewis)

And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit. (2Corinthians 3:18)

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about habits, not just the physical kind but, the heart kind as well.  My dismay is not just over how difficult developing good habits are, but how back-breaking extinguishing bad ones can be as well!  Making and breaking habits is hard work! Yet, the whole of our days is comprised of habits, good and bad, big and small… each one adding up to the kind of life we live.  In fact, habits not only govern our physical health, but our moods, energy, and attitudes as well.

However old we are, habits have been formed and are being formed every day, the aggregate of which determines our ability to thrive and be happy.

This tends to make sense to us in terms of physical habits like exercise, eating well, and healthy patterns of living. But, what about the habits of the heart?  The heart has patterns of feeling, thinking and reacting.  Many heart patterns form while in our families of origin and, countless things influence these habits, but none more profoundly than our own daily choices. When you are offended, for example, is your heart-habit to remember your own frailties and forgive? Or, do you hold grudges and lick your wounds? If you’ll notice, there is a heart pattern within you that prompts you to do one thing or another. Maybe you are burdened with the heart-habit of being critical or self-absorbed? Being negative, expecting the worst, losing your temper, or dwelling on sad things can all become heart habits.

It is sobering to consider that every day, we either cooperate with the formation of sour habits or look to God for help to do something different!

Each choice, each thought, each action is soul forming! In other words, like C.S Lewis writes, there is a kind of creature being shaped each day, one that either resembles our Savior more and more or one that doesn’t!

Being with God empowers us to choose beyond our habits and live as new creatures in Christ!  He invites us to spend time with Him, to notice His presence in the day, and to learn from Him.  God is a willing teacher and is ready to touch us with His grace.  The tried and tested Christian practices put us in His good company. Silence, solitude, gratitude, fasting, celebration…the enriching of His Word, prayer of many kinds are all on the menu of ways to engage with our God.  Learning to pay attention to God in the middle of life, whether working or worshipping, is transformative!  Living “awake” and engaged with God creates His heart in us and turns “the central part of ourselves into something a little different from what it was before”…into people who look a little more like Jesus.

“Father, I want to be more like Jesus!  Please draw me into daily awareness that Your Spirit lives within me and lead me into sacred pauses that open my heart and mind to You.  Help me to learn from you as I spend time with You.   Amen.”

What about you?

Have you ever considered that the choices  you make are shaping your soul?

What are the habits of your heart?  Are you aware of what comes most naturally and does it remind you of Jesus?

Is the fruit of the Spirit becoming second nature?  Are love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control flowing from your life?

Are you becoming more like Jesus?

Worship